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Gravit Designer vs Principle

Gravit Designer logo

Gravit Designer

Software

Free vector graphics editor in the cloud

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
P

Principle

Software

Animate your ideas, design better apps

From
$129/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Gravit Designer has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Gravit Designer the Gravit Designer brand and domain designer.io were retired and now redirect live to CorelDRAW, confirming the standalone product no longer exists under its own name; Principle macOS only with no Windows or Linux editor available
  • They diverge on capability: Gravit Designer covers Vector drawing, Principle covers Timeline-based animation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gravit Designer and Principle actually diverge.

Attributes where Gravit Designer and Principle differ
AttributeGravit DesignerPrinciple
Starting priceFree$129/one-time
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, WebmacOS
Founded20142015

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Gravit Designer

  • Vector drawing
  • Bezier tools
  • Shape tools
  • Typography
  • Gradient tools
  • Symbols
  • Layers
  • Cloud storage

Only in Principle

  • Timeline-based animation
  • Interactive prototypes
  • Touch gestures
  • Component reuse
  • Video export
  • Sketch import
  • Figma import
  • Driver animations

Both cover

  • Desktop deployment
  • Macos support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Gravit Designer

  • Logo designnot Principle
  • Vector illustrationnot Principle
  • Icon designnot Principle
  • Web graphicsnot Principle

Principle

  • Mobile app prototypesnot Gravit Designer
  • Micro-interactionsnot Gravit Designer
  • Animation designnot Gravit Designer
  • User flow designnot Gravit Designer
  • Gesture-based interfacesnot Gravit Designer

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Gravit Designer

  • The Gravit Designer brand and domain designer.io were retired and now redirect live to CorelDRAW, confirming the standalone product no longer exists under its own name

Principle

  • macOS only with no Windows or Linux editor available
  • No vector morphing capability for complex shape transformations
  • Limited asset creation tools; cannot create vectors or shapes directly within Principle
  • Sketch import flattens certain properties including paths, fills, borders, masks, blur effects, and text layers
  • Limited variable support, logical loops, and data input capabilities compared to tools like ProtoPie or Origami

Pricing, plan by plan

Gravit Designer

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Cloud storage
    • All design tools
    • SVG support

Principle

$129/one-time
  • License$129/one-time
    • One year of upgrades
    • Full access to all features
  • Upgrade License$99/year
    • Annual renewal for ongoing upgrades

Which should you pick?

Choose Gravit Designer if

  • You need vector drawing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Web.
  • You also want bezier tools.
Gravit Designer review

Choose Principle if

  • You need timeline-based animation.
  • You work on macOS.
  • You also want interactive prototypes.
Principle review

Questions people ask

Is Gravit Designer or Principle better?
Neither clearly leads. Gravit Designer starts at Free and Principle at $129/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gravit Designer or Principle?
Gravit Designer has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Gravit Designer and $129/one-time for Principle.
Does Gravit Designer or Principle run on more platforms?
Gravit Designer runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Web. Principle runs on macOS.
Can I use Gravit Designer for free?
Yes. Gravit Designer has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Principle starts at $129/one-time.
What is Gravit Designer best used for?
Gravit Designer is most often used for logo design, vector illustration, icon design, web graphics. Of those, logo design and vector illustration are not what Principle is typically brought in for.
What can Gravit Designer do that Principle cannot?
Gravit Designer covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Shape tools, Typography. Principle covers Timeline-based animation, Interactive prototypes, Touch gestures, Component reuse. Both handle Desktop deployment, Macos support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Principle: Does Principle run on Windows or Linux?

No. Principle is macOS only and runs on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. There is no Windows or Linux editor available; however, prototypes can be shared and viewed on any platform via web link.

Source
Principle: What is the cost of Principle?

Principle costs $129 for a one-time purchase with 1 year of upgrades included. After 1 year, upgrade licenses cost $99/year. A 14-day free trial is available with all features included.

Source
Principle: Can I import designs from Figma or Sketch into Principle?

Yes. Principle supports importing designs from Figma and Sketch with intelligent merging of re-imported files. Some Sketch properties such as paths, fills, borders, blur effects, masks, and text layers are flattened upon import.

Source
Principle: How do I share Principle prototypes with others?

Prototypes can be shared via web link with one click (File > Export > Share to Web). Recipients can view and interact with prototypes in any browser on any platform: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, or iOS. No installation required.

Source
Principle: Can I create vector shapes and morphing animations in Principle?

Principle does not support vector morphing, where vector objects transform into other vector shapes. It also has limited asset creation capabilities and editing is restricted to basic operations like scale and rotate.

Source
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